State - 4 weeks ago

Strengthening Families is the Priority – Rupali Chakankar

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Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar : The State Women’s Commission aims to prioritize women’s safety while strengthening the foundation of families within society, stated Commission Chairperson Rupali Chakankar today.

As part of the “Mahila Aayog Aplya Daari” (Women’s Commission at Your Doorstep) initiative, a public hearing was organized at the District Collectorate’s Planning Hall. Various women with grievances presented their cases before Rupali Chakankar. Additional District Collector Dr. Arvind Lokhande, Commission Member Nandini Avhad, Deputy Collector Dr. Suchita Shinde, and Police Inspector Tejashree Pachpute were present. Four panels were formed to resolve the complaints, including members such as Satish Kadam, Varsha Gaikwad, Shilpa Avchar, Aabarao Kalam, Purnima Sakhare, and Swati Lokhande, along with legal experts, District Legal Services Authority members, police officials, and representatives from the District Women and Child Development Office.

Chakankar emphasized that women should receive justice within their own districts to reduce travel expenses and legal fees. The initiative offers counseling and immediate resolution of complaints. She noted that most complaints are related to domestic violence, which can be minimized by living within legal boundaries. She urged families to welcome the birth of daughters and stressed the need for community awareness to prevent child marriages.

152 Complaints Resolved

A total of 152 complaints were addressed in the hearing, including 96 related to family disputes, 11 concerning social issues, 3 regarding property and financial fraud, and 42 categorized under miscellaneous grievances. Of the 96 family disputes, 14 cases were successfully resolved through mediation.

Appreciation for Students of Bhisewadi ZP School

Students from Bhisewadi Zilla Parishad Primary School were praised for creating awareness about “Good Touch and Bad Touch” through a short film. Chakankar congratulated the students, interacted with them, and encouraged them to pursue education in a safe environment.

Review of Various Departments

Chakankar reviewed the work of different departments, including child marriage prevention, women’s health, counseling centers, Bharosa Cell, transport, labor commission, social welfare, education, and women and child development. Officials present included Zilla Parishad CEO Vikas Meena, District Collector Dr. Arvind Lokhande, Police Inspector Aarti Jadhav, Social Welfare Assistant Commissioner Luckychand Chavan, Municipal Corporation Deputy Commissioner Mr. Borse, Assistant Labor Commissioner Mrs. Gaikwad, Industrial Security Director Geeta Tandle, Deputy Education Officer, and District Women and Child Development Officer Reshma Chimndre.

Initiatives and Directives

Rewards for Informants: Individuals reporting child marriages will receive special rewards, and organizations preventing child marriages will be honored.
Helpline Awareness: Schools and colleges must display Child Helpline 1098 prominently.
Women’s Grievance Redressal: All offices and workplaces must establish Internal Complaints Committees for women’s grievances. Surprise inspections will be conducted to check for child labor.
Police Patrol in Schools: Police must make surprise visits to schools and colleges to ensure a safe environment for girls.
Expansion of Counseling Centers: Due to rising urban populations, police, education, and women & child welfare departments must propose an increase in counseling centers.

Praise for Pink Patrol, Damini, and Bharosa Cell

Chakankar commended the “Pink Patrol” for fast-tracking women’s safety investigations and the “Damini Squad” for ensuring the safety of female students. She also highlighted the Bharosa Cell’s efforts in building trust between women and the police department.